


Tales From the Horde

by novaartinoisaqueen



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Collection of fics, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Some angst here and there, adventures growing up, also yearning (thats gay yall cmon), but nothing too mature or explicit, growing up in the horde, honestly idk where this is going but here it is, lots of fluff, maybe some more adultish themes later on, young catra and adora
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24817171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novaartinoisaqueen/pseuds/novaartinoisaqueen
Summary: "It doesn't matter what they do to us. You know? You look out for me, and I look out for you. Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other."-Growing up in the Horde is lonely and at times, brutal. Luckily, Adora has Catra, and Catra has Adora. As long as they stick together, they can do anything.-a collection of fics of Adora's and Catra's lives in the Horde before Adora left.
Relationships: Adora & Catra & Kyle & Lonnie & Rogelio (She-Ra), Adora & Catra & Shadow Weaver | Light Spinner (She-Ra), Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora & Hordak (She-Ra), Adora & Kyle (She-Ra), Adora & Lonnie (She-ra), Adora & Rogelio (She-Ra), Adora & Shadow Weaver | Light Spinner (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Catra & Hordak (She-Ra), Catra & Kyle (She-Ra), Catra & Lonnie (She-Ra), Catra & Rogelio (She-Ra), Catra & Shadow Weaver | Light Spinner (She-Ra), Kyle/Lonnie/Rogelio (She-Ra), Kyle/Rogelio (She-Ra)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 75





	1. Origin

**Author's Note:**

> im so excited to get started on this series! of course, i had to begin with how they met after learning adora essentially found catra in a cardboard box! im debating on whether to write this in chronological order or not, so if there are preferences, im all ears! if you liked this, make sure to check out my other she ra fics, and to check out my tumblr, emybain, or my she ra side blog, catradora-bitch!

Adora was quiet from her place behind a table in Shadow Weaver’s room. She had been roaming around the Fright Zone, avoiding lessons with the other children because the cadet that was charged with teaching them was scary looking, when she heard raised voices coming from her guardian’s quarters. Being on the cusp of five years of age, her curiosity overcame any sense of avoiding trouble, and she snuck into the woman’s room to spy. 

“My word is final.” A shiver ran up Adora’s spine at the cold, empty voice of Lord Hordak. She knew that he was their leader, and was fighting to free Etheria from the evil princesses, but he was still kind of scary to her. “Dispose of that thing immediately. We have no use for more orphans at this time.”

“As you wish, Lord Hordak.” The crackle from the video call faded out. Shadow Weaver heaved a great sigh. Adora peeked out from behind the table, peering at the box the woman picked up from at her feet. Before she could wonder what was inside, there was a rustling, and a soft whimper. Her eyes widened. 

“Shadow Weaver?” Adora stepped out from her hiding place, hugging her arms. Her guardian jumped at the intrusion, but quickly regained her composure. 

“Adora, my dear,” she cooed. The box in her arms shifted. “What have I told you about spying on others?” 

Adora ignored the question. “What’s in the box?” She took another bold step forward and reached a hand up. 

Shadow Weaver lifted the box out of her grasp. “That is none of your concern, child. Why aren’t you in your lessons with the other children? You’re missing out on important information, and you know how much I care for your education.” 

Two different colored eyes popped out from inside the box, causing Adora to forget any excuse she was about to say. They were tired, and sad, but also curious. 

“Hi!” Adora grinned, tilting up on the tips of her toes so that she might get a better look. It was a child, much smaller than Adora, with big ears and a tail and the prettiest eyes she had ever seen. Blue and gold. “Why are your eyes like that?” 

The child cowered back in the box, and Shadow Weaver pulled it away once more. “Adora, that’s enough.” She headed toward the door. “I have some business to attend to, and you need to return to your lessons.” 

“What are you going to do with them?” Adora demanded, following the woman out into the hallway. She had to walk at a fast pace to keep up, having such short legs. Hopefully, she would grow to be tall so that she wouldn’t have to deal with this all her life. “Are they a new recruit?” 

“That is none of your business,” Shadow Weaver repeated, exasperated. “Now run along, or else I’ll be forced to punish you, and you know how much I would hate that.” 

Adora ran ahead and stopped right in front of her, frowning. She made sure to use her big eyes, as they had helped her get out of trouble in the past. “You aren’t going to hurt them, are you?” 

Shadow Weaver sighed, then kneeled down to Adora’s height. Her gaze immediately went to the box with the child. They didn’t look any older than three, but it was hard to tell their exact age because of their small and frail body. They watched Adora closely, and she couldn’t help but smile back as brightly as she could. 

“Lord Hordak has ordered me to get rid of her,” Shadow Weaver explained gently. “We aren’t able to give refuge to any more children.” 

“But that’s not fair!” Adora felt tears welling up in her eyes. “She didn’t do anything wrong!” 

“I know that, child, and I tried to convince him otherwise, but Lord Hordak knows what’s best for all of us. You wouldn’t want to question his authority, would you?” 

No, of course not, but Adora still felt that she should do something. “What if...what if I watched her?” Shadow Weaver began protesting, but Adora pressed on. “She can have the top bunk of my bed. I’m not sharing with anyone right now. And...and I’ll give her half of my rations at every meal.” Adora knew she struck a chord when Shadow Weaver was silent for a minute. “Please, ma’am? She...She could be a great asset to the Horde. Give her a chance.” Adora didn’t even know what the word ‘asset’ meant, but it was always used positively when Shadow Weaver was talking about her. 

Adora waited while her guardian formulated a response; she had a feeling deep down that she had won. It wouldn’t have been the first time with Shadow Weaver, who had always been fond of Adora. 

“I will speak to Lord Hordak about your offer,” Shadow Weaver finally said, slowly. “Your courage and bravery will be admired, but he will question your attachment to the child. If he approves, do you promise me to not grow fond of her? To not let her distract you from your duty?” 

That was easy enough. Adora just wanted to do the right thing. “I promise.” 

* * *

Later, as Adora was getting ready for bed, Shadow Weaver came into the large bunk room shared by many children. Conversations came to a halt, card games paused, and people scrambled off of their beds, all to salute their superior as they had been taught in their lessons. The woman went straight to Adora, ignoring the other children. Adora sat up in her bed, wrapping her hair tie around her wrist after taking out her ponytail. A flare of happiness shot through her body when she saw the child from earlier with her guardian, hiding behind her long dress. 

“Cadets, there will be a new addition to your ranks.” Shadow Weaver nudged the girl forward, and she stumbled on wobbly legs. Adora jumped from her bed and caught her before she fell, helping her over to her own bed to sit down. “Adora, I expect you to keep your promise. As for you, child,” Adora swore her eyes narrowed in an unkind way from behind the mask when she looked at the girl, “you owe Adora your life. I expect you to behave. Understand?” The girl, much to Adora’s shock, hissed at Shadow Weaver and curled her nose up. “I said,” Shadow Weaver reached forward and grabbed her hand, slapping it, “understand?” The girl yelped, but begrudgingly nodded. 

Adora watched the exchange, frozen, and didn’t move until Shadow Weaver left the room. Conversation and laughter resumed as though nothing had happened. Adora turned to the new girl and offered a smile. “I’m Adora, by the way. What’s your name?” 

The girl didn’t answer, instead choosing to glare at Adora with a mixture of confusion and anger in her features. Did Adora do something wrong? She bit the inside of her cheek. “I like your ears,” she offered. “And your eyes. I’ve never seen someone with different eye colors.” Still no answer. “This is my bed, and yours is on top. Unless you’re scared of heights, then I’d be happy to switch.” It was a lie, as Adora was terrified of being up high, but she was just trying to be nice.

Adora watched the girl stand from Adora’s bed and climb up to her bunk without a word. Her head fell with a great sigh. Maybe she’d open up after a good night's sleep. Sometimes, when Adora was in a bad mood or not feeling well, she found that sleeping it off helped a lot, and she always felt better in the morning. 

A force captain poked their head in the room and ordered lights out. Everyone got into bed quickly before the lights turned off, and Adora was out within minutes. 

* * *

The next morning, just before she left with the other children for breakfast, she noticed the girl sitting by herself on Adora’s bed, fingers picking at Adora’s pillow. A light irritation filled Adora’s chest when she saw the fresh rips on one side from the girl’s claws, but said nothing. Instead, she took a seat beside her. 

“We have lessons every morning after breakfast, and then we eat lunch,” Adora explained. “It’s really boring, but I’ll fill you in on anything confusing. In the afternoon, we usually train with some of the force captains, which is a lot more fun.” When the girl continued her silent game, Adora began to worry. What if she couldn’t understand her? What if she spoke another language, like Rogelio? “Can you understand me?” 

The girl looked at her then, clearly annoyed. “Yes, I can understand you. I’m not stupid.” Her voice was small, but sure. 

Adora breathed out in relief. So it wasn’t that. “Are you shy? Is that why you won’t talk? Because it’s okay. There are other kids here that are shy, too, like Kyle.” 

“I’m not shy,” was the grumbled response. 

“Cadets! Hurry up or you’re missing breakfast!” barked the force captain in charge of them for the morning, glaring at them from the doorway. The two girls jumped. 

“Coming, Force Captain!” Adora called back, standing. She offered a hand to the girl. “Just stick with me, and you’ll be fine, okay? I’ll help you.” After a moment’s hesitation, the girl let Adora pull her up and lead her out of the room. “I didn’t catch your name last night. What did you say it was?” Adora remembered the cold response she had received the night before, but she wanted to wheedle it out of the girl nicely. 

Again, there was no answer. Adora’s heart sank. They made their way to the dining hall in silence, Adora leading her by hand the entire trek. It wasn’t until they were heading to their first lesson of the morning when she finally spoke up again. 

“I’m Catra.” 


	2. Sleepovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> adora and catra learn how sleepovers work. or, two times catra fell asleep at the foot of adora’s bed, and one time she didn’t.

Pssst, Catra?” Adora grunted and hauled herself over the edge of the top bunk. She didn’t know how Catra managed to hop up there every night effortlessly. Then again, she had a bit of an advantage. 

The curled up lump on the other side of the mattress didn’t budge. Adora shuffled forward and placed a hand on Catra’s ankle, the only visible limb she could identify. She shook it lightly and whispered again. 

“Catra? Are you awake?” That got her an irritated groan, and the leg retracted away from Adora, joining the lump. 

“No, I’m not,” Catra’s voice grumbled from somewhere in the pile.

Adora huffed. Typical Catra. And she was always worse when tired. “C’mon, Catra, please?” She added a bit of emphasis on the ‘please’, knowing that it sometimes worked on the other girl. 

Another groan, and a mumble about how annoying Adora was. Then Catra sat up, palming her eyes and yawning big, probably being overdramatic on purpose. Some found this attitude vexing, Adora found it endearing. 

“What do you want? I’m kind of busy here, stupid.” Even though she tried to sound mad, Adora knew that she was just grumpy and didn’t mean it. Over the past couple of years, they had gotten to know one another, and Adora learned that the feline was an overall moody and sarcastic and dramatic person, but also funny and kind with Adora. 

“I can’t sleep,” said Adora honestly. She could never hide anything from Catra. They had grown too close. “Remember that story Shadow Weaver told us this morning? When she visited during our lessons?” 

Catra scratched at her side, frowning. “You mean that dumb story about dead, evil princesses meant to scare us?” She snorted when Adora nodded. “You’re actually scared of that?” 

“What?” Adora’s eyebrows scrunched together as her tone grew defensive. 

“Can’t say I’m surprised, scaredy-cat.” Catra rolled her eyes and threw herself back down on the mattress, rolling over and pulling the covers up to cover her head. Her muffled voice came from underneath. “I’m going back to sleep.” 

Adora stared at her blanket-clad form for a while. Out of all the times she had been there for Catra, backed her up and helped her and protected her, and Catra couldn’t be there for her just this once. The story Shadow Weaver told them stuck with Adora all day, plaguing her mind. She dreaded returning to the bunk room and falling asleep, for Shadow Weaver had said the evil ghost princess was strongest at night and attacked disrespectful children in their sleep. Adora had immediately thought of Catra and all her antics, but as the day had dragged on, her heart sank more and more as she remembered all of the bad things she had done in her life. What if the evil princess was going to get her tonight? She was only seven years old. Her life had barely begun. There was so much that she wanted to do, so much that she and Catra exchanged whispers about during lessons and training that had yet to be fulfilled. 

“Fine,” she spit out, unable to keep the disappointment and shakiness from freshly brewing tears out of her voice. “I’ll just stay up all night, I guess. Never mind.” 

She scooted to the edge of the bunk and crawled back down into her own bed, where she curled up underneath the thin blanket and kept an eye on the exit door. It sucked, being scared and not being able to do anything about it, so Adora would just have to brave it out and not sleep. She didn’t need Catra to distract her and help her forget about the story; she could do it on her own. 

The bed above hers creaked, and before she got a chance to sit up, Catra was kneeling at the foot of her bed, her ears drooped low. She avoided Adora’s eyes as she laid down right where she was, tail coming to rest on Adora’s foot. Adora gaped at her, unable to help her chin from trembling. It was so rare to see Catra show her gentle side, even with Adora; a fresh wave of tears threatened to spill over. 

“This isn’t because I like you.”

But Adora knew it was a lie, and she smiled. Whatever helped Catra seem like a big, tough bad guy. 

She fell asleep soundly that night, with her protector keeping guard for anyone who dared try to hurt her. 

* * *

Adora was awakened by the trembling of her mattress. She shot up, already preparing herself for a fight even though she was far from being a qualified fighter. But it was just Catra, her body tense and curled in on itself as if she was trying to hide. When she saw that Adora was awake and frowning at her, she shied away even more. Adora scooted forward and reached for her arm before she could disappear back to her bunk. 

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” She didn’t bother questioning why Catra was on her bunk in the middle of the night, shivering even though it wasn’t cold. It was something she had picked up about the girl, that she was better at showing her emotions than talking about them, and any inquiries about what she was doing would only push her further away. 

“Nothing happened,” Catra mumbled, tracing a claw on Adora’s sheets. Adora moved closer to sit by her side, placing a hand on Catra’s upper back. It was only when got up close that she saw her damp cheeks and watery eyes.

“Was it another nightmare?” Adora rubbed soothing circles on her back with her palm, being mindful to give her enough breathing space. Catra was sometimes iffy about being touched unless she initiated it. Truthfully speaking, Adora was uncomfortable and awkward when it came to contact as well, seeing as the Horde disapproved of it, but never with Catra. She was different. 

“I don’t have nightmares.” Catra shrugged away from Adora. Her hand fell into her lap. Okay. Catra didn’t want to be touched tonight. That was understandable. Company would be enough. “Nightmares are for babies and cowards.”

“I have nightmares all the time.” Adora ducked her head to smile at Catra, who was hiding underneath her tangled mane of hair. She wondered if Catra had ever seen a brush in her life, or cared to. 

“Because you’re the biggest baby I know,” Catra shot back. Adora’s smile only got bigger, but it remained kind and open. She pulled away and clambered back to her pillow. This was nothing new; she knew how to get through to Catra, even if Catra wasn’t always aware.

“Okay, well, if you woke me up for no reason, I’m going back to sleep.” Adora made a show of fluffing her pillow and straightening her blanket, even pretending to yawn loudly. “They’re letting us watch the older cadets in a simulation tomorrow, and I don’t want to be tired during it.”

Just as her head hit her pillow, Catra spoke up.

“Adora...wait.”

She peeked at Catra over her now blanketed body, raising her eyebrows expectantly. Here it was. Hook, line, and sinker.

“Can I...sleep here?” Her eyes fell to the foot of the bed where she was perched. “To...you know...protect you from evil princesses? You’re really loud when you have nightmares, and keep waking me up, so-”

“I’d love that.” Adora curled her legs up to give Catra some more room, and felt warmth spread throughout her body when she felt what must’ve been Catra’s head laying on her calf. It was a good feeling. “Goodnight, Catra.”

“Goodnight, Adora.” 

* * *

Lights out was called over an hour ago, but Adora was still wide awake. Wide awake, and repressing giggles. 

“Shut up,” Catra hissed at her, although she was holding back laughter as well. “It’s not funny.”

Still, Adora was shaking with every laugh she had to keep silent. When Catra swatted her arm, she snorted and they both fell apart again. They clutch each other’s arms, desperate for air. Adora had to look away from the horrid pictures that were now etched into the bunk bed frame. Every time she saw her buck teeth and uneven eyes, or Catra’s two fangs and spiky hair, she lost it. They had decided to draw one another with some pencils Catra had found, and the results were disastrous. It was clear neither of them were artists, and should never try to be. And now, those crude lines would be there for a long time, maybe forever, as a reminder of this night. Maybe one day, Adora would look upon them fondly, but right now, she could only try to regain her composure. 

They both managed to calm down, eventually settling down beneath Adora’s blanket together. Adora pulled it over their heads and scooted closer to Catra so they could share her pillow. It had been a surprisingly good day, one void of them getting into trouble with a force captain or Shadow Weaver, who seemed to watch their every move and was aware of everything they did. Because of their mishap-free day, they were in good spirits, being the happiest they had been in a long while. So happy that, upon lights out, they decided to continue their conversations and antics quietly. It had been hours, and Adora was just beginning to feel the weight of staying up past curfew. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have too much trouble waking up in a few hours. Even if she did, it would be worth it. She rarely got to see Catra in a light mood for longer than a few hours. 

“Will you stay with me tonight?” Adora laid her head down on her pillow, and she resisted the sudden urge to close her eyes. Catra always teased her for falling asleep the second her head hit the pillow, as Adora could just about fall asleep anywhere at any time. It was a skill, she supposed, but not a very useful one.

Catra’s ears twitched, and Adora swore she saw her cheeks redden, although it was hard to tell in the dark. “If Shadow Weaver catches us like this, she’ll dismember me and throw every piece into the Whispering Woods.” 

Adora rolled her eyes. Always so dramatic. “I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. We can wake up earlier than everyone else so no one sees, okay?” 

Catra didn’t look convinced, but she nodded and snuggled closer to Adora, loosely wrapping her tail around the back of her knee. For a few minutes, there was only the sound of their breathing. Adora let her eyes fall shut. It was instant relief; she was beginning to drift off, even faster than usual. There was something about having Catra so close, within an arms reach, that made her feel safe. Reassured. Like she could fall asleep forever and not have a single nightmare, not worry about being attacked while unconscious. 

If her eyes had been open, she would’ve seen Catra’s soft gaze, watching her with a small smile. 

“Are we always going to be friends, Catra?” Adora mumbled, reaching a blind hand forward to search for hers. She was successful and latched onto Catra’s fingers, giving them a light squeeze. She expected some snarky response, Catra telling her that they weren’t friends and that she didn’t even like Adora. It was just part of who she was. Adora knew the meaning behind every insult. 

There was a slight tug beneath her ear, and she cracked an eye open to see a strand of her hair in Catra’s free hand. Catra dropped it immediately, caught. But Adora liked seeing her like this. Vulnerable, open, gentle. 

“Yeah, Adora, we’ll always be friends.” 

“Promise?”

“Promise.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you liked this, make sure to check out my other fics, and to check out my tumblr, emybain, or my she ra side blog, catradora-bitch. thanks for reading! feedback is appreciated!


	3. Growing Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra experiences a change in her body and is terrified.  
> TW: menstrual cycle, mention of blood

Adora was chatting with Lonnie and Kyle when a piercing shriek came from one of the bathroom stalls in the locker room. Her laughter was cut short, and she threw her jacket on over her basic white turtle neck before taking large strides toward the source. Catra had disappeared into the bathroom the second they returned from training that day. Adora hadn’t even gotten a chance to catch up to her, as she hurried off the second they were dismissed. She and the rest of their team had just entered the locker room, pulling off gear and opening lockers and joking when Catra cried out. 

“Catra?” Adora raised a knuckle to the stall door, leaning her head against it. Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio were watching her curiously. She shook her head and shrugged, unable to give them an answer. “Catra, is everything?” She knocked once more when there wasn’t a reply.

“Can you come in here?” Adora blinked at the soft, near trembling voice of her friend. She wasted no time in slipping into the unlocked stall, making sure that the prying eyes of their team saw nothing.

Catra was sitting on the toilet, hugging her middle and hunched over her legs. There were tears welling up in her eyes. Adora hadn’t seen her this defenseless in years. 

“I...I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Catra’s eyes met Adora’s briefly before falling back to the vinyl floor. She rubbed her sleeve across her nose. “I’m..I-I’m bleeding.”

Adora frowned and searched her body, avoiding certain areas to preserve Catra’s modesty, even though they trusted one another with everything. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with her. Was she just being dramatic about a broken nail or something again?

As if sensing Adora’s confusion, Catra continued with bright red cheeks. “Down...down there.”

If anything, that confused Adora more. What was she talking about? Before she could answer, though, there was a harsh rapping at the door, followed by Lonnie’s voice.

“Are you two coming? We’re gonna miss dinner and it’s the grey kind tonight. It’ll be gone fast.” 

Adora almost told her to go ahead and leave them behind, but thought again. Lonnie always seemed to know more about the outside world and things like this. If there was something wrong with Catra, she probably had an answer. 

“I’ll be right back,” she told Catra, placing a reassuring palm on her knee before stepping back out of the stall and closing it. She turned her back to it and faced Lonnie, toeing at the floor. “Hey, um...Catra’s having a problem, and I was wondering if you might know what it is.” She made sure to keep her voice down, as she knew Catra and Lonnie weren’t exactly the best of friends, and Catra would no doubt murder Adora if she found out she was going to Lonnie for help.

Lonnie pressed her lips together in a thin line and crossed her arms. She looked like she didn’t want to get involved, and honestly, Adora couldn’t blame her. Catra could be a bit much at times. “What is it?” 

Adora released a slow breath. “She’s, um, bleeding? She said down there?” She indicated a finger downward, though she was completely clueless on what it meant. 

Realization crossed Lonnie’s face, and she relaxed. Surprisingly, she even sounded sympathetic when she spoke. “I have some pads and medicine she can borrow until she can get to the medic bay tomorrow. C’mere.” Adora followed her toward her locker, questions forming in her head. 

“Is she going to be okay? What is it?” 

Lonnie pushed a couple of pills and some plastic packages into Adora’s hands. “She’s fine. She just started her period. It’ll go away in about a week.” 

“What’s—”

“I’m really not the best person to explain it to you.” Lonnie offered a small smile and shut her locker. “But it’s completely natural and it usually happens for girls around this age. We bleed out of that  _ thing _ down there once a month, and no I’m not talking about your butt.” She chuckled lightly at Adora’s horrified expression. “It sucks, but we just have to learn to live with it.” 

Adora was beyond lost, and a new fear settled in her belly. This was going to happen to her, too? “Oh, um…okay. Thanks, Lonnie.” 

“Anytime. Just make sure she goes to the medics tomorrow. They’ll be able to explain it better. Oh, and follow the directions on the inside of the pad. I didn’t the first time and wasted a brand new one.” Lonnie stepped toward the door. “See you guys at dinner!” 

Adora waved goodbye and headed back to Catra’s stall. She knocked once before entering. 

“I’m dying, aren’t I?” 

Adora had to snort. Always jumping to the worst possible conclusion. But could she blame her? What if it had been Adora in her shoes? “No, you’re not dying. It’s natural, so calm down, and uh...here.” She handed one of the packages to Catra, who looked down at the thing like it would explode at any second. “There’s directions on the inside,” Adora added. “I’ll just, um, step out and give you some privacy.” 

She paced outside the door for a few minutes, glancing at the stall when there was a very audible ripping sound. After a bit, Catra came out, keeping her legs further apart than normal. Her eyes were dried, but they were still tinged red. Every step she took was stiff; Adora knew she was just trying to be tough, especially after her initial freak out. 

“This feels like a diaper,” she huffed. “What else did Lonnie say?” 

“How’d you know—”

“I could hear you guys talking, and I don’t expect _you_ to know anything about this.” Catra headed over to the sinks, still walking funny. 

Adora supposed she should’ve been hurt at the insult, but for one, Catra was right, and two, she knew it was just teasing. “She said that it’s natural and happens once a month? Also that you need to see the medics tomorrow about it. They’ll help you.” She rolled the pills in her hand. “She also gave me some medicine, which I guess you should take. Does it hurt?” 

Catra tilted her head, as if thinking about it. “No, not really. Is that normal?” 

“No idea.” She handed the pills over, and Catra popped them in her mouth. She bent down over the sink and swallowed some water. Adora rolled her eyes. She had a water bottle by her locker, but apparently sink water was better. “Are you okay to go eat?” 

Catra pinched and pulled at her pants, uncomfortable. “I guess.” Her stomach growled, as if on cue. They both laughed quietly. “So, you’re sure I’m okay? You’re not just lying to send me to my doom?” 

Adora lightly nudged her with her shoulder, scared of hurting her. She didn’t understand how exactly this thing worked, so she didn’t want to hurt Catra by accident. They headed toward the door. “That’s what Lonnie said, and I trust her. She called it...a period, I think. It apparently lasts for a week.” 

“A week?” Catra cried out in the hallway, earning them a few dirty looks from superiors. “No. That’s it. I’m going to the medics tonight. I don’t care if I get in trouble for going after hours. I have to be dying.” 

“Calm down.” Adora grabbed her arm to steady her. “Maybe it’s not a lot of blood?”

Catra groaned and relaxed in her grip, her hair falling back down and tail returning to its normal side-to-side swish. “Why do bad things always happen to me? How come you don’t have this?” 

Adora forced a smile. “Lonnie said every girl gets it around this age, so I’m sure I’ll be suffering soon, too. You’re not special.” 

Catra’s lip curled. Adora could practically read her mind, and knew that she was hiding how scared and confused she still was. “You’re such an idiot.” 

“Thanks for the reminder.” Adora slung an arm around her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze. “It’ll be okay. I’ll be by your side the entire time.” Catra still seemed unsure, shrinking into herself but purring at Adora’s touch. That was somewhat of a good sign. “C’mon, it’s the grey kind tonight. After dinner, we can walk around? Find new places?” It was something they liked to do in their free time, exploring the Fright Zone inside and out, even if it was frowned upon. If they were lucky, they found new hiding spots perfect for hanging out and stashing contraband courtesy of Catra. Adora wasn’t all that fond of the contraband, but sometimes, Catra managed to get her claws on some good stuff, like books and other trinkets. 

Catra nodded and leaned into Adora’s embrace. For a moment, they allowed themselves to forget about the horrors of growing up. 

After all, feigning ignorance was better than facing reality. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor catra. growing up is a bitch. im basing some of this off of my own experiences, and i got my first period when i was around 12-13. in case i get questions, im gonna mention that i didnt feel any pain the first day and (stupidly) thought “this isn’t that bad” and regretted it immediately the following day when i could barely move. also, lonnie just seems like the kind of person to know a lot of stuff, idk why. i might add a “sex ed but make it in the horde” fic after this, because they had to have been given SOME kind of talk, right? anyway, check out my other fics if you enjoyed this one, and also check out my tumblr, emybain, or my she ra side blog, catradora-bitch, and say hi! feedback is appreciated!


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